Back in the UK after 10 years in Thailand

[Essex Reject]

1 minute ago, Percy P said:

Always had to pay for your household waste to be collected same with street lights and the pavements to be swept. Is called community charge from your local council.

Where did I say you didn't? I was answering a posters question who asked what you pay council tax for.

[Somtamnication]

On 8/10/2019 at 4:54 PM, possum1931 said:

About 6 GBP

5.5 gbp - Newmarket.

 

Prices of fruit at the local Tescos....(compare these to Thailand).

 

 

And something that really surprised me:

[Percy P]

On 8/10/2019 at 2:19 AM, brokenbone said:

how much for short time ?

scary needing cards, i see the thais use it at 7/11 almost exclusively, i dont like using cards, i hope i die before it becomes mandatory

Cards are not necessary if you want to carry money around with you. But how do you have money transferred from you name country to Thailand. I use my debit card . You have other suggestions.

Edited August 13, 2019 by Percy P

[transam]

6 minutes ago, Somtamnication said:

5.5 gbp - Newmarket.

 

Prices of fruit at the local Tescos....(compare these to Thailand).

 

 

And something that really surprised me:

Have a look at just how much fish you get for five and a half quid in that pic...Theres enough batter on the morsel to batter a fish to death....

[EVENKEEL]

180 bht with all the extras

feeds 3, not bad.

[Percy P]

On 8/10/2019 at 2:23 AM, sanemax said:

I have no idea about prostitution 

Your reply is unnecessary. 

[Percy P]

On 8/10/2019 at 2:50 AM, RichardColeman said:

And it's lovely and cool at the minute without having to have the air con on or the fan on full.

 

I'm currently back in the uk, living on trifle, pork pies and english sausages  - the veg can wait until i get back to thailand next month.

 

I came back last autumn . I guarantee you'll be so happy when the trees start to change in a month or so and your lungs fill with those damp leaves

Good time for Thais to visit the UK @ 37.4 B/£

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Essex Reject said:

Britman - I see you can only apply for child tax credit (Universal Credit) if among other things you have LESS than 16k in savings.

Never used to be the case, I had over 100kGBP in savings at the time, and 1/2 million pound house.

Anyway, if you've got 16kGBP in savings, no need to go back, you can get a married extension with 400kBht in the Thai bank.

Best not to return with any money at all, except the ticket home.

Edited August 13, 2019 by BritManToo

[Almer]

On 8/10/2019 at 2:19 AM, brokenbone said:

how much for short time ?

scary needing cards, i see the thais use it at 7/11 almost exclusively, i dont like using cards, i hope i die before it becomes mandatory

Dont wish your life away it will come quick eneough

[alfieconn]

1 hour ago, Essex Reject said:

I said 'bills' which does not include food and clothes, travel etc. Would never expect total expenditure to be 500 a month.

Well if your looking at a like for like comparison between Thailand and the UK (certainly in the South)  for everything which includes housing your probably looking at Thailand being at least 50% cheaper, just a guess so could be miles out.

Edited August 13, 2019 by alfieconn

[Percy P]

2 minutes ago, alfieconn said:

Well if your looking at a like for like comparison between Thailand and the UK (certainly in the South)  for everything which includes housing your probably looking at Thailand being at least 50% cheaper.

A visit .  Not living there. But not everything in Thailand is cheaper than your home country. Having to deposit 20,000 B in a Thai Bank at .1% ing is one.

[Essex Reject]

33 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Never used to be the case, I had over 100kGBP in savings at the time, and 1/2 million pound house.

Anyway, if you've got 16kGBP in savings, no need to go back, you can get a married extension with 400kBht in the Thai bank.

Best not to return with any money at all, except the ticket home.

Appreciate the wisdom.

[Essex Reject]

20 minutes ago, alfieconn said:

Well if your looking at a like for like comparison between Thailand and the UK (certainly in the South)  for everything which includes housing your probably looking at Thailand being at least 50% cheaper, just a guess so could be miles out.

I think when you said a grand all in you are pretty close..37k..I spend more than that here on all bills and food etc.

[sanemax]

1 hour ago, Percy P said:

Your reply is unnecessary. 

I was relying to a poster who requested information about the cost 

[sanemax]

On 8/10/2019 at 2:47 PM, soalbundy said:

no wonder obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the UK

I have noticed that British people arent as fat anymore , most under 30's are quite lean with no belly at all .

  Over weigh people are quite rare now a days 

[Singhajon]

Some cost's per year in UK 4 bed house-Surrey + work van

Gas            £1008 = 37,000 B

Elec             £616 = 22,866 B

council tax £3154 = 117,064 B

water/waste £432 = 16,041 B

Internet        £492 = 18,267 B

Vehicle ins    £425 = 15,780 B

Vehicle tax   £ 325 = 12,067 B

Diesel £1.30 litre    = 48 B

[Somtamnication]

I would like to go back as I am getting tired of the dog and pony shows at immigration, but...tons of buts...

[mommysboy]

33 minutes ago, Singhajon said:

Some cost's per year in UK 4 bed house-Surrey + work van

Gas            £1008 = 37,000 B

Elec             £616 = 22,866 B

council tax £3154 = 117,064 B

water/waste £432 = 16,041 B

Internet        £492 = 18,267 B

Vehicle ins    £425 = 15,780 B

Vehicle tax   £ 325 = 12,067 B

Diesel £1.30 litre    = 48 B

How much are you earning though?

 

 

[mommysboy]

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

I have noticed that British people arent as fat anymore , most under 30's are quite lean with no belly at all .

  Over weigh people are quite rare now a days 

Very true!  Perhaps as many as a third don't drink either.  And the young smokers (just 15% of the population anyway) are more likely to vape, which is healthier and cheaper.  I guess there is an upside to austerity.

 

The baby boomers and older- on the other hand.....  Funny because it's this generation more than any other that is so high minded and self-righteous!

[FarangULong]

On 8/10/2019 at 7:04 AM, sanemax said:

5 Quid , 185 Baht , from a London cafe today

This, bacon samies, full house and the burger wagon in general, are the only things I ever miss about the UK. Then again I'm not English/British, so there's that.

 

The guy who said he owns several houses and 170 GBP/month for utilities AND council tax must either be a country bumpkin (in terms of where the houses are located, not necessarily he himself), or be from up north, where everything was/is a lot cheaper.

 

I left the UK in December 2007, and back then council tax for two people in my town was roughly 120 GBP (would've still been around 100 for her alone, if we hadn't lived together and back then the pound was worth a lot more also, nearly 1,35 Euros or thereabouts), which was very close to Gatwick. I cannot imagine it has gotten that much cheaper, both in terms of utilities and the council tax itself, which obviously varies from area to area, but sounds like a huge difference then, as much as rent differences, we paid 650/month back then for a one bedroom. And all of this is nearly 12 years ago... I cannot imagine, that council tax has gone down, because after all the council has to provide housing and ever bigger houses/flats for the ever increasing armies of "Ive got three+ kids, yeh by three+ 'men' yeh, innit bruv, yeh wicked yeh blatantly brrappp brraappp" single-"mothers" or the ever increasing broods of those who are already housed...

 

The price differences are even worse if you are a smoker. Unless you buy at King Power, they aren't exactly cheap in the 7/11s (and I didn't really know where else to buy them, though I was only there for just under a month) etc of Thailand either, a bit cheaper than where I'm from. But FAR cheaper than in the UK, even at 2007 prices.

[alfieconn]

3 hours ago, Essex Reject said:

I think when you said a grand all in you are pretty close..37k..I spend more than that here on all bills and food etc.

That grand wasn't including house rental costs.

Just done a quick tally up of my spending for a month (inc health ins) in Thailand versus approx Uk spending for me and the wife with one fairly new car and renting a 3 bed house.

Thai 53,000 baht @ 37 - 1,432 pounds,  cost in England 2,600 pounds.

 

Edited August 13, 2019 by alfieconn

[Essex Reject]

10 minutes ago, alfieconn said:

Obviously that grand was including rent or a cost of a house, probably looking at renting a house here for 20,000 baht (540quid)  being in the south of England 1,200 quid.

No I was including a house. 1200 quid about right, around Chelmsford way around a ground. The way I would estimate it would be..

 

Rent 1k

Bills 400-500

Food, clothes, petrol, other incidentals, travel, going out etc etc..700

 

So say 2200 or 85k baht

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, Essex Reject said:

No I was including a house. 1200 quid about right, around Chelmsford way around a ground. The way I would estimate it would be..

 

Rent 1k

Bills 400-500

Food, clothes, petrol, other incidentals, travel, going out etc etc..700

 

So say 2200 or 85k baht

it's always the housing that's the big problem.

Having 2 kids with you gets you free housing.

[Changoverandout]

Considering a 6 month here and 6 in U.K. but not sure what visa my wife would need as she’d want to work?

 

I realise I need £18600 income to allow her to apply for spousal visa.

 

She had permanent leave to remain from 2002 but since expired. What would be best, any thoughts?

 

Not sure we could live 12 months in U.K. 

[theoldgit]

On 8/13/2019 at 6:53 PM, Changoverandout said:

Considering a 6 month here and 6 in U.K. but not sure what visa my wife would need as she’d want to work?

I realise I need £18600 income to allow her to apply for spousal visa.

She had permanent leave to remain from 2002 but since expired. What would be best, any thoughts?

Not sure we could live 12 months in U.K. 

She could apply for a Returning Resident Visa, but that doesn't really meet your requirements as she would need to demonstrate that she's returning to live permanently in the UK, has string ties to the UK and detail your current circumstances and why you’ve lived outside the UK. https://www.gov.uk/returning-resident-visa

 

She could apply for a further spouse visa, as you're aware expensive and you'd be back to square one after a while, a visit visa might fit the bill, but in the unlikely event it would be granted in the circumstances you describe, she would be allowed to work.

[phetphet]

I was also back in the UK (London) recently. Amazing how many shops are going cashless and only accept cards. Even the coffee shop chains.

[GalaxyMan]

2 hours ago, phetphet said:

I was also back in the UK (London) recently. Amazing how many shops are going cashless and only accept cards. Even the coffee shop chains.

I hear that they're trying this nonsense in the USSA also. I wonder how that jives with "This note is legal tender for all debts public and private" that is printed on every note of US currency? How can someone refuse payment in 'legal tender'?

[sanemax]

44 minutes ago, GalaxyMan said:

I hear that they're trying this nonsense in the USSA also. I wonder how that jives with "This note is legal tender for all debts public and private" that is printed on every note of US currency? How can someone refuse payment in 'legal tender'?

"Someone" doesnt refuse cash payments though , the personless till just doesnt give a cash option to pay 

[sanemax]

On 8/13/2019 at 4:05 PM, BritManToo said:

it's always the housing that's the big problem.

Having 2 kids with you gets you free housing.

Not in your choice of location though , if you get offered accommodation, you HAVE to accept the first offer and it could be an apartment on a council estate ten miles outside Carlisle 

[Jip99]

1 minute ago, sanemax said:

Not in your choice of location though , if you get offered accommodation, you HAVE to accept the first offer and it could be an apartment on a council estate ten miles outside Carlisle 

 

 

Could be worse........ it could be inside Carlisle... ????